Chapter Twenty-One: Rivers and Mountains for Miles—Who Holds Sway Over Their Fate?

Who will decide the fate of this vast empire?

A family cannot go a day without its head, and a nation cannot go a day without its ruler. The aristocratic clans held control over most of the resources in the Han Dynasty—most crucially, land and population. Thus, the gentry were both feared and employed by the various regional lords, for their influence was decisive. The imperial relatives and eunuchs wielded central power, while the gentry, endowed with reputation, land, and people, served as the backbone of the empire. If one compares the eunuchs and imperial relatives to the central government of today, then the local entrepreneurs would be the gentry.

Because Emperor Ling of Han passed away without naming an heir, and there were two princes—but only one throne—the stage was set for trouble, and so began a fierce struggle for succession.

The first faction, relatively strong, supported Prince Liu Xie as heir. Among them was Empress Dowager Dong, a woman from Hejian, wife of Marquis Liu Chang of Jie Du Pavilion, and the mother of Emperor Ling. She was joined by Imperial Uncle Dong Chong and others who had favored Liu Xie even before the emperor’s death. As mother to Emperor Ling and grandmother to Liu Xie, Empress Dowager Dong was determined to secure the throne for her beloved grandson; if the opposing side were crowned, there would be no place left for her. If she succeeded, with Liu Xie still a child, she would be the true power behind the throne.

The second faction, arguably the strongest, rallied behind Liu Bian. This group included Lady He, from Wan County in Nanyang, sister to Grand General He Jin and General He Miao, the second empress of Emperor Ling and mother to Liu Bian. Lady He came from a butcher’s family, was selected for the imperial harem, won the emperor’s favor, bore Prince Liu Bian, and was later elevated to the rank of Noble Lady and then Empress. Grand General He Jin and General He Miao were unwavering in their support, driven by self-interest.

The third faction was neutral, and its members were the most numerous. They were loyal to neither prince. Their neutrality stemmed from two reasons: they did not wish to offend either side, seeking only self-preservation, and they possessed their own unique ideas, refusing to agree with either faction. As long as a descendant of the Liu clan sat on the throne, their loyalty to the Han was unquestionable.

“Prince Liu Xie was dearly beloved by the late emperor—upright, wise, gifted beyond compare. The emperor often praised him, saying he could save the people from calamity and rule as an enlightened monarch.” Empress Dowager Dong, the highest-ranking of them all, sought to seize the initiative, attempting to push her grandson onto the throne with her own strength.

“Your Majesty is wise. Some play the villain, others the hero. Prince Liu Xie is exceptionally talented, and with ministers to guide him, he is surely the one most suited for the throne,” praised her supporters, eager to gain merit should their side triumph.

“From ancient times, the eldest legitimate son is chosen. My son Liu Bian is gifted, his ambitions grand, versed in the heavens and earth—a perfect candidate for emperor. I urge you all to consider carefully who should ascend the throne.”

Empress He, barely thirty, was a peerless beauty, captivating and gentle—a true marvel among mortals.

Grand General He Jin shouted, “My nephew is gifted—he can pacify the realm with his pen and secure the empire with his sword. As the prince, he should inherit the throne—who can object?” Coming from a butcher’s background, He Jin’s boasting was not lacking, as he vigorously promoted his nephew.

Both sides argued incessantly in a cacophony of voices, each advocating for their master, launching a fierce war of words. Insults flew, tempers flared, and neither side would yield.

“Has my word as Empress Dowager lost its power?” Empress Dowager Dong, holding her dragon-headed staff, pointed at the ministers below.

“We dare not, Your Majesty. As the mother of the nation, who would disobey?” Lady He bowed in deference.

A tree without bark will die; a person without shame is invincible.

Before meeting you, my world was black and white. After meeting you—well, now it’s all black.

“How dare you!”

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“Pfah, pfah, pfah…”

These high officials and city ruffians were little different, cursing and quarreling, faces flushed with rage, neither side yielding.

One sentence after another…

Watching these petty figures, Zifan shook his head. All for a seat, for power, for this ever-changing dynasty, for what they called the realm.

Wealth, beauty, fame, status—those who chase them are blinded by pettiness. On Earth, all must die, so they pursue these things to give life meaning. But in this world, where vital energy abounds and immortality is possible, why not pursue it?

For immortality, wealth, beauty, fame, and status can be used or discarded. For immortality, fear cannot hold me back—I will press forward. For immortality, laziness cannot hinder me—I will not slacken for a moment. For immortality, pain cannot stop me—neither gods nor demons, nor heaven or earth, can stand in my way!

When Heaven wants destruction, it first drives men mad.

Greed blinds the mind and narrows vision. The throne may be easy to ascend, but difficult to keep. The realm is not so easily ruled.

The front hall was aflame with quarrels, while the rear palace was eerily silent. In a secluded corner, the "Ten Attendants" hid, for now this was their only refuge.

Though in the rear court, they watched everything unfolding. Dozens of young eunuchs stood ready, prepared to act. Having already failed once, a second defeat would mean the loss of their lives—so they weighed the risks carefully.

In this tense moment, the Ten Attendants were anxious beyond measure. Zhao Zhong’s eyes glazed over as he muttered in fright, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

“What are you panicking for? Useless lot—quiet down.” At their leader’s command, the group calmed.

“The Ancestor is right.” Years of companionship had taught them, if he was angry, the matter was not yet hopeless.

Under their expectant gazes, Zhang Rang closed his eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them, scribbling swiftly on a tiny slip of paper. He whispered softly to a young eunuch.

“Go, go…”

The situation grew ever more chaotic, each faction quarreling endlessly. Empress Dowager Dong was frantic, like an ant on a hot pan, yet could find no solution—her anger burning fiercely.

Just then, a clever young eunuch approached, carrying a golden phoenix bowl.

“Your Majesty, please take tea.” He respectfully offered the cup to Empress Dowager Dong.

She, sweating with anxiety, had no patience for a mere eunuch, waving him away irritably.

“Your Majesty, please take tea.” Again, the eunuch offered the cup, his respectful manner hinting at something more. Anyone with a keen eye could sense it—especially Empress Dowager Dong, who had survived countless intrigues in the palace. She noticed the hidden message.

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Empress Dowager Dong picked up the cup, examined it closely, peered inside, and seemed to glimpse the solution. Her expression shifted, a glimmer of joy appearing.

“Honored ministers, the late emperor has just passed. As his mother, my heart aches deeply. The pressing matter is to choose an auspicious day and prepare for his grand burial.

“In ancient times, the dead were clothed in firewood and buried in the wild, with neither mound nor tree. But the tomb of a monarch shapes the fate of the whole nation, so we must seek the finest geomancers in the land to select the burial site for the late emperor. To the south, the plains stretch like a carpet; to the north, mountains rise in waves, endless green. Sunlight bathes the vast expanse, purple mist floats above. Truly, the scenery is majestic, nature’s masterpiece. What say you, esteemed ministers?”

Moreover, both Liu Xie and Liu Bian are the late emperor’s own flesh and blood, bearing the Liu family lineage. As Empress Dowager, how could I favor one over the other?

As she spoke, tears welled up in Empress Dowager Dong’s eyes, and she lifted her wrist to wipe them, weeping softly. Seeing her grief, the ministers bowed their heads in silence, some genuinely mourning the late emperor and the fate of the Han Dynasty. In the end, tears move hearts most deeply.

Seeing Empress Dowager Dong take such a step back, the ministers nodded in agreement, and some, moved by compassion, pledged to follow her instructions, vowing to serve the Han to their last breath.

“Since all of you accept my command, please leave the palace at once and prepare for the late emperor’s burial.” Seeing the ministers swayed by her words, Empress Dowager Dong lowered her head, a sly smile spreading across her face. In truth, the cup contained not water, but a small slip of paper that read: “Lure them out of the palace, defeat them one by one.”

…………………………………………………………

“Impossible!” Just as everyone prepared to leave, two thunderous voices echoed, shaking the hall—Zifan and Cao Cao stepped forward, their chests held high.

“Honored ministers, Grand General, this must not be done. Now is the critical moment—how can we abandon such an opportunity? Moreover, the palace is the domain of the Ten Attendants. If we relinquish our advantage now, it is easy to leave today, but nearly impossible to return. ‘One word wakes the dreamer.’”

Indeed, the palace belonged to the Ten Attendants. Only with the support of the Black Cavalry and the ministers could they force negotiations with Empress Dowager Dong. The Black Cavalry’s military pressure had created their current advantage. If the ministers withdrew, the Ten Attendants, deeply entrenched, would close the gates behind them, enthrone Liu Xie, and have him ascend immediately. By then, Grand General He Jin and his faction would be too late to act.

Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, and others came to their senses, beads of cold sweat forming on Grand Empress He’s brow. She signaled to her brother, Grand General He Jin, but he faltered, unable to make a decision.

“This is urgent. All must follo